How to Conduct a Content Audit: A Step-by-Step Guide
Have you ever wondered if your content is truly pulling its weight? Maybe your blog posts are quietly gathering digital dust, or perhaps your social media posts are not quite hitting the mark. It's time to take a hard look at your content with a content audit. Here's your step-by-step guide to getting it done, with some tools and techniques we use at Go Girl.
Step 1: Define Your Goals
Before diving headfirst into the sea of content, you need a clear map. Ask yourself:
What are you hoping to achieve? More traffic? Higher engagement? Better conversion rates?
Which platforms and types of content are you focusing on? Blogs, social media posts, videos, emails?
Setting clear goals will help you stay focused and make the audit more manageable.
Step 2: Gather Your Content
Think of this as a treasure hunt, but instead of gold coins, you're looking for every piece of content you've ever created. Use tools like:
Google Analytics: Track down your web content.
Social Media Management Tools (like Hootsuite or Buffer): Corral your social posts.
Content Management Systems: Check your CMS for published and draft content.
Spreadsheets: Create a master list to keep everything organized.
Remember, the more comprehensive your list, the better your audit.
Step 3: Analyze Performance Metrics
Now it's time to crunch some numbers. Focus on key metrics like:
Traffic: Page views and unique visitors.
Engagement: Likes, shares, comments, and time on page.
Conversion Rates: How many readers turned into leads or customers?
SEO Performance: Keyword rankings, backlinks, and organic search traffic.
Tools to help you:
Google Analytics: For overall website performance.
SEMrush: For SEO insights.
BuzzSumo: For social media engagement.
Step 4: Identify Underperforming Content
Now that you have the data, it’s time to separate the wheat from the chaff. Look for content that’s:
Outdated: Information that's no longer relevant.
Poorly performing: Low traffic and engagement.
Off-brand: Doesn’t align with your current goals and messaging.
Step 5: Create an Action Plan
With your underperforming content identified, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and make some decisions. Here are your options:
Update: Refresh outdated information with new data and insights.
Repurpose: Turn blog posts into infographics, videos, or social media snippets.
Remove: Sometimes, it’s best to say goodbye to content that’s beyond saving.
Step 6: Implement Changes and Monitor Results
Make the necessary updates and keep a close eye on performance. Use your initial metrics as a benchmark and track how the changes impact your goals.
Tools and Techniques for a Stellar Content Audit
Content Inventory Tools: Tools like Screaming Frog can help you quickly gather all your URLs.
Performance Analysis Tools: Google Analytics, SEMrush, and BuzzSumo are your best friends here.
Project Management Tools: Trello or Asana to keep track of your action plan.
A comprehensive content audit can seem daunting, but it’s a powerful way to ensure your content strategy is on point. By defining your goals, gathering your content, analyzing performance, and creating an actionable plan, you'll be well on your way to content greatness. And now, just before we enter Q4, is the perfect time to get it done.
We will be doing a “pop up content audit” workshop this fall—totally free and open to anyone who wants us to help them walk through these steps. If you’re interested in being the first to know when it is happening, send me an email here.
Happy auditing!